Seat belt buckle



Aug. 16, 1966 F. L. DAVIS SEAT BELT BUCKLE Filed June 1, 1965 xiii INVENTOR. FRANK L. DA W5 United States Patent 3,266,110 SEAT BELT BUCKLE Frank L. Davis, Fort Salonga Road, Northport, Long Island, N.Y. Filed June 1, 1965, Ser. No. 460,121 Claims. (CI. 2478) The invention herein disclosed is an adjustable, quick release buckle for seat belts and the like.

Special objects of the invention have been to provide such a device in a simple, low cost, light weight, small size, safe and strong construction, quickly and easily released and connected and consisting of but few parts, adapted to be secured in proper relation in the act of assembly and which in use, would present a neat attractive appearance.

Other desirable objects and the novel features through which the purposes of the invention are attained are set forth and will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification is illustrative of a present preferred form of the invention, but structure may be modified and changed as regards this illustration; all within the true intent and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the buckle in disconnected relation, with webbing broken away for lack of space.

FIG. 2 is a part sectional side elevation of the same, in the connected relation.

FIGS. 3/and 4 are plan and side views of the buckle frame.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are similar views of the latch lever member of the buckle.

The base or frame of the buckle is shown as of channel formation embodying a flat back wall 10 and upstanding parallel side walls or flanges 11 and 12.

The back wall is shown as having spaced, aligned, narrow transverse slots 13, 14 in the intermediate portion of the same and along side those narrow slots a wider full length transverse slot 15, provided by striking up a transverse section of the back wall into position forming an upstanding flange 16, at the side of the opening furthest from the narrow slots.

A shorter upstanding flange 17 is struck up from the end of the base wall, partially closing that end of the frame.

The side Walls of the frame are shown in FIG. 4 as having narrow notches 19 at one end and shoulders 21 below the notches, and close to the back wall.

The side walls also have triangular bearing openings 22 therein over the wide cross slot 15, small circular openings 23 over the narrow cross slots and circular openings 24 near the opposite end of the frame.

The separable part of the buckle is in the form of an end plate 25 attached to one length 48 of the belt webbing adapted to enter between the side walls of the frame and having shoulders 26 at opposite edges to engage beneath the shoulders 21 of the side walls at that end of the frame.

The end plate is confined in this connected relation by an overstanding latch lever 27, positioned over the back wall between the side flanges and having down struck angularly projecting hook lugs 28 at the inner end entered in the narrow cross slots, a projecting handle 29 at the outer end and a downwardly inclined securing tongue 30, projecting from the intermediate portion of the same to enter the opening 31 in the end plate and engage the locking shoulder 32 at the forward edge of such opening.

The latch lever is held in the securing position by a coiled spring 33 on a cross pin 34, engaged in the openings 23 in the side walls, with one end 35 of the spring in engagement with the inner end of the latch lever and the other end 36 bearing down on the intermediate portion of the lever.

The lever is thus firmly held in place but left free to be raised to release the locking tongue from the inserted end of the web fitting.

The cross pin 34 and spring 33 are located above the inner end of the latch lever and the intermediate portion of this lever is shown provided with a projecting extension 37, between the hook lugs 28 in line with the spring,

ing bar to insure a firm holding grip on the loop of webbing.

FIG. 2 shows how the lower edge of this sleeve is op posite the flange 16 to secure a firm grip on the webbing.

A smoothly rounded cover 43 is 'shown removably secured over the side walls of the frame by having a downwardly and inwardly turned flange 44 at one end engaged in the notches 19, and inwardly struck projections 45 in the sides of the same, at the opposite end entered in the openings 24 at that end of the frame.

This cover may be of ornamental appearance and be made of thin sheet metal or plastic.

It provides a convenient grip or handle for holding the buckle and protection for the interior parts of the buckle. It is firmly and securely held in place, but when necessary may be sprung open to afford access to the internal portions.

The projecting handle portion 29 of the latch lever is shown as inclined upwardly or away from the frame and the back of the frame is shown inclined at 46 to provide guiding means for directing the end plate into locked position in the buckle.

When thus engaged the end fitting is positively held by the end shoulders 21 of the frame against any twisting or turning movement which otherwise might effect release of the latch lever.

The buckle consists of few simple parts which can be readily put together and which in such assembly become interlocked and held in proper operative condition without need of screws, rivets or other fastenings.

The downwardly or inwardly projected ends of the cover serve as flanges engaging opposite ends of the side walls and serve to close or partially close the ends of the buckle, protecting it against entry of foreign objects.

The inturned flange 44 at one end of the cover in hooked engagement with the notches 19 in the end of the frame locate the cover in definite position on the frame and the cover is locked in this condition in the illustration by the projections 45 on the cover in engagement with openings 24 in the frame. 1

Other forms of locking projections may be used. For example, the cover may have an inturned flange or hooks at the latter end to engage in a slot or slots in the upturned end flange 17, FIG. 2.

In any event, the cover is removably secured to the frame but may be sprung out of engagement therewith for inspection, repair or other purpose.

While the frame is shown provided with an upstanding flange 16 at the edge of the slot 15 for the webbing, the flange in some cases, and possibly by preference, may be J omitted and the opening be left with an abrupt edge for holding engagement with the loop of webbing.

From FIGS. 2 and 4 it will be clear that the projecting shoulders 21 at the entry end of the frame, located as they are, close to the back of the frame, provide the effect of notches to receive the widened or shouldered portions 26 of the end plate, thus to confine said end plate against the back wall and holding it against any lifting movement that might tend to raise the latch lever 27.

The latch lever, however, is free for intended release movement but such movement is limited by engagement of the reduced neck portion 48 of this lever in the slot 47, FIG. 1, in the end of the cover.

What is claimed is:

1. A seat belt buckle comprising a channel form frame having a back and connected parallel side walls,

the back wall having aligned spaced transverse slots and the side walls having notches at one end of the frame,

a latch lever overlying the back wall and having angularly extended hook lugs at the inner end pivotally engaged in said slots and an operating handle at the opposite end projecting beyond that end of the frame,

said latch lever having a securing tongue in the intermediate portion of the same inclined toward the back wall,

an end fitting for the belt webbing adapted to enter between the side walls of the frame into position between the latch lever and said back wall, said end fitting having a lock shoulder engageable by said inclined securing tongue of the latch lever and having shoulders to enter said notches in the ends of the side walls,

a pin extending between said side walls above said latch lever,

a coiled spring on said pin having one end in engagement with the inner end of the latch lever and the opposite end in en agement over the top of the latch lever,

21 cover extending over said frame and having flanges at opposite ends in engagement with opposite ends of said side walls, and

means on said frame for adjustably securing a length of belt webbing thereto.

2. A seat belt buckle comprising a channel form frame having a back and connected parallel side walls,

the back wall having aligned spaced transverse slots and the side walls having notches at one end of the frame,

a latch lever overlying the back wall and having angularly extended hook lugs at the inner end pivotally engaged in said slots and an operating handle at the opposite end projecting beyond that end of the frame,

said latch lever having a securing tongue in the intermediate portion of the same inclined toward the back wall,

an end fitting for the belt webbing adapted to enter between the side walls of the frame into position between the latch lever and said back wall, said end fitting having a lock shoulder engageable by said inclined securing tongue of the latch lever and having shoulders to enter said notches in the ends of the side walls,

a pin extending between said side walls above said latch lever, a coiled spring on said pin having one end in engagement with the inner end of the latch lever and the opposite end in engagement over the top of the latch lever,

a cover extending over said frame and having flanges at opposite ends in engagement with opposite ends of said side walls, and

means on said frame for adjustably securing a length of belt webbing thereto, including a swinging gate bar having trunnions at opposite ends,

one longer than the other,

said side walls having triangular openings in which said trunnions are journalled,

the back wall having a transversely extending portion struck out forming an opening in which said bar is received and an upstanding flange opposed to said bar for clamping engagement with a loop of webbing extended up through the opening over the top of said bar.

3. The invention according to claim 2 with a strip of sheet metal folded over the inner edge of said bar and forming a smooth supporting surface for a loop of webbing and terminating in an edge disposed to grip the webbing against said upstanding flange.

4. A seat belt buckle comprising a channel form frame having a back and connected parallel side walls,

said back wall having a transverse slot,

a latch lever overlying said back wall and having an angularly extended hook lug at the inner end pivotally engaged in said transverse slot and an operating handle at the opposite end projecting beyond that end of the frame,

said latch lever having a securing tongue in the intermediate portion of the same inclined towards said back wall,

an end plate for belt webbing adapted to enter between the side walls of the frame into position between said latch lever and back wall,

said end plate having a lock shoulder engageable by said inclined securing tongue of the latch lever,

a spring held in the frame having one end in engagement with the inner end of the latch lever and the opposite end in holding engagement over the top of said latch lever,

a cover secured in stationary engagement over said frame, and

means on the frame for adjustably securing a length of belt webbing thereto.

5. The invention according to claim 4 with said cover having a slot receiving the projecting handle portion of the latch lever and limiting the extent of the releasing 5 movement of the same.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,888,724 6/1959 Anderson 24230.1 3,212,152 10/1965 Tanaka 24-2301 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,782 9/1883 Germany.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SEAT BELT BUCKLE COMPRISING A CHANNEL FORM FRAME HAVING A BACK AND CONNECTED PARALLEL SIDE WALLS, THE BACK WALL HAVING ALIGNED SPACED TRANSVERSE SLOTS AND THE SIDE WALLS HAVING NOTCHES AT ONE END OF THE FRAME, A LATCH FEVER OVERLYING THE BACK WALL AND HAVING ANGULARLY EXTENDED HOOK LUGS AT THE INNER END PIVOTALLY ENGAGED IN SAID SLOTS AND AN OPERATING HANDLE AT THE OPPOSITE END PROJECTING BEYOND THAT END OF THE FRAME, SAID LATCH LEVER HAVING A SECURING TONGUE IN THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE SAME INCLINED TOWARD THE BACK WALL, AN END FITTING FOR THE BELT WEBBING ADAPTED TO ENTER BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS OF THE FRAME INTO POSITION BETWEEN THE LATCH LEVER AND SAID BACK WALL, SAID END FITTING HAVING A LOCK SHOULDER ENGAGEABLE BY SAID 